Body Woods

BODY WOODS

Alder (Alnus Rubra):

Alder is very popular because of it's relatively light weight and its robust sound. Alder has a very closed grain with virtually no grain lines which makes it extremley easy to finish. Expect some knots. It looks good with a sunburst or a solid color finish. The tone is very balanced and open. A 6 on our "Brightness" scale of 1 - 10. (nice, balanced tone)

Ash (Fraxinus Nigra):

Ash is a hard and dense wood, moderately heavy. It is known for it's brighter tone and very long sustain! Ash is light in color with some figure and darker tints. The grain is very open open and it takes a lot of finish. Ash looks spectacular with tinted or burst finishes. A 7 on our "Brightness" scale of 1 - 10. (a little bright)

Basswood (Tilia Americana):

Basswood is the lightest of the woods we carry. This makes it very popular. The color is very light, sometimes with streaks. Basswood also has a closed grain that makes it easy to finish. Not the best choice for clear finishes. Basswood is known for its warm tone with a lot of mids. This makes it a favorite of metal players and shredders... Think 80's metal tone that cuts through very well. Used extensively by Ibanez® in their higher end and "prestige" guitars. A 4 on our "Brightness" scale of 1 - 10. (Warm tone, good mids)

Mahogany (Khaya Ivorensis):

The African mahogany that we use is fairly dense. Fine grained with a world-renown warm tone and sustain for days! The tone is warm and full with good sustain. The grain fills easy and looks fantastic in clear, burst, or transparent finishes. Extensively used by Gibson®. A 2 on our "Brightness" scale of 1 - 10. (Very Warm tone)

"Big Leaf" Maple (Acer Macrophyllum):

"Big Leaf" maple is not the same as the Hard Maple we use for our necks. It is lighter in weight than Hard Maple but has a similar lighter color. Big leaf maple is also known for it's "Bite" but is not as bright as Ash. Nice closed grain makes it a dream to finish. This type of maple works great with solid color and dye finishes. Maple is a favorite of Rickenbacker, they use it almost exclusivly. A 7 on our "Brightness" scale of 1 - 10. (pretty bight)